Tip #7: 20 Tips to Conserve Water and Save $$$.

Everyone uses water and most of us take for granite that it is just there. With these tips you could save yourself a lot of money each month.

Whether you live on a lot with well water or have city water, it still costs a lot of money, and if you conserve water, then you could save a lot of money.

We have well water, so we don’t have a water bill, but what most people who have a well don’t think of, is the cost to get the water to your faucet.

First, we have the expense of the electric for the well pump, and the electric for the water softener, which is needed because the water is really hard, and it would cost us more in shampoos and cleaners if we didn’t have a softener.

The cost of the salt for the softener, and

The cost of gas to heat the water. (Which everyone has for hot water.)

My daughter lives in an area that uses city water that is REALLY expensive. When she first moved into her house and was watering the newly laid sod, the first water bill was over $300 for one month. She had no idea how expensive the water was!

There are several ways to conserve water.

Here are 20 Tips that we do and you could do, on a regular basis to conserve water and save $$$.

1. Take short showers: There is no need to take long hot showers. (Although they do feel nice!)

2. Turn off the water when you are lathering up and shaving.

3. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.

4. Only run a full dishwasher. This will save water and energy!

5. If you use a dishwasher, cut back on rinsing. We don’t rinse ours at all. You could read how we wash our dishes here.

6. When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and use the other to rinse the dishes.

7. Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean. Soaking makes is easier to clean everything.

8. Designate one glass for your drinking water each day or refill a water bottle. This will cut down on the number of glasses to wash.We mark our glasses with permanent marker with our name so we know whose is whose. (It doesn't come off in the dishwasher but will scrub off easily.)

9. Wash only full loads of laundry.

10. When you are washing your hands, don't let the water run while you lather.

11. Reusing your bath towels. We wash ours once a week.

12. Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation.

13. Don't water your lawn on windy days when most of the water blows away or evaporates.

14. When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs watering the most.

15. Listen for dripping faucets and running toilets. This uses lots of water.

16. Throw trimmings and peelings from fruits and vegetables into your yard compost or trash to prevent using the garbage disposal. The garbage disposal uses a lot of water.

17. Mulch will slow evaporation of moisture while discouraging weed growth. Adding 2 - 4 inches of organic material such as compost or bark mulch will increase the ability of the soil to retain moisture. Many villages have free mulch. That is where we get ours!

18. Don't run the hose while washing your car. Clean the car using a pail of soapy water. Use the hose only for rinsing - Use a spray nozzle when rinsing for more efficient use of water.

19. Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks.

20. Check for leaks in pipes, hoses, faucets and couplings. Leaks outside the house may not seem as bad since they're not as visible. But they can be just as wasteful as leaks indoors.

Water conservation comes naturally when everyone in the family is aware of its importance, and parents take the time to teach children some of the simple water-saving methods around the home which can make a big difference.

Using these simple ways to conserve water could save you thousands of gallons per month, which in turn will save you lots of money per month.

Try these and watch your bills go down!

I grew up in a family of a dozen children also. We had to conserve water especially when it came to shower time. We also have taught our children these tips so there is not money going down the drain.

Follow us over the remainder of the month as we share tips on how we keep our spending in check and still be able to have fun, enjoy ourselves, have quality family time, and keep ourselves debt free.

We love to have comments. Let us know how you are doing with your check list. If you have any questions, comment below.

See you tomorrow.

Doug and Sharon

(Parents of a Dozen)

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2 comments:

Boy do I know about $300 water bills! That is the avg bill for us for about 4 months each year. I know it is because of outside watering. We are allotted so many gallons per month on a flat rate, and those other 8 months we dont even use the full amount. I never thought about how much water is used with the disposal.